In some states*, notaries may use credible witnesses on acknowledgments and jurats when a person whose signature is being notarized does not have any identification. The following Credible Witness Affidavit could be used -- but not required according to the NNA -- in addition to the standard procedure of making notations of the credible witnesses' information in your notary journal:
Credible Witness Affidavit
*STATES ALLOWING TWO CREDIBLE WITNESSES WITH SATISFACTORY I.D.: CA, FL, GA, NM, VA
Under the penalties of perjury, I declare that the person appearing before me [NAME OF NOTARY] as [NAME OF PERSON WHOSE SIGNATURE IS TO BE NOTARIZED] is personally known to me ** who proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person named in the document requiring notarization; that I believe the person does not possess the required identification; that I believe it would be difficult or impossible for this person to obtain such identification; and that I do not have a financial interest in and am not a party to the underlying transaction.
WITNESS #1 WITNESS #2
[Signature of Credible Witness] [Signature of Credible Witness]
Only ONE witness is required if personally known by notary.
TWO credible witnesses required if not personally known to the notary. Satisfactory ID required.
State of ________
County of ________
Sworn to (or affirmed) and subscribed before me on this (date) day of (month), (year), by (Print name of first Credible Witness), and by (Print name of 2nd Credible Witness or N/A), who produced the following as identification:
Personally Known [ ]
Satisfactory ID [ ]
Witness #1 - Type ______________
Witness #2 - Type ______________
[SEAL] (Signature of Notary)
(Printed or Typed Name of Notary)
**NOTE: In 2008, California laws changed the language on acknowledgments and jurats prohibiting identifying anyone based on personal knowledge so I would think the language on the above Affidavit would be the same as in the current acknowledgments, "who proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence..." I AM NOT CERTAIN ABOUT THIS AND HAVE YET TO FIND A "CREDIBLE WITNESS AFFIDAVIT FORM ANYWHERE ON THE INTERNET, ALTHOUGH I'M SURE THERE IS ONE SOMEWHERE. THE ABOVE AFFIDAVIT IS FROM A NEWSLETTER FROM THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NOTARIES.
If any notary has information to the contrary or has any other comments on the subject of using Credible Witness Affidavits, I would appreciate hearing from you.